sjm.engine
Interface AxiomSource

All Known Implementing Classes:

ChipSource, Program

public interface AxiomSource

An AxiomSource is a provider of axioms.

Within the package sjm.engine, the only provider of axioms is Program. The AxiomSource interface allows other types of object to provide axioms, specifically objects that act as databases and provide lots of facts.

Method Summary

AxiomEnumeration	axioms() Returns all the axioms from a source.
AxiomEnumeration	axioms(Structure s) Returns an enumeration of axioms.

Method Detail

axioms

public AxiomEnumeration axioms()

Returns all the axioms from a source.

Returns:

all the axioms from a source

axioms

public AxiomEnumeration axioms(Structure s)

Returns an enumeration of axioms. The parameter specifies the structure that is trying to prove itself. The implementor of this method can ignore this, or use it as an index.

An axiom has a chance of serving to prove the structure only if the axiom begins with a structure that matches the input structure with regard to its functor and its number or terms (or "arity"). An implementor can put this point to good purpose, only returning axioms that have some chance of providing a proof.

Parameters:

Structure - the structure that is trying to prove itself

Returns:

a collection of axioms